Stable blood supply to the lungs nourishes the body with the necessary oxygen. Congestion in the lungs or hypostasis indicates that a malfunction has occurred, blood flow is impaired, and blood can enter the lungs through the capillaries. It is necessary to pay attention to alarming symptoms in time - this will allow the doctor to take timely measures.
Causes of the disease
Before giving in to panic and looking for signs of a dangerous phenomenon, it is necessary to understand why stagnation of the lungs occurs. Doctors tend to divide the causes of pathology into congenital and acquired, which developed under the influence of external factors and lifestyle characteristics.
Causes of the disease, which appeared under the influence of congenital and acquired pathologies of the cardiovascular system:
- Atherosclerosis.
- Coronary artery disease.
- Heart attack.
- Cardiomyopathy
Such deviations in the operation of the system affect the quality of blood flow throughout the body, which cannot pass without a trace for the lungs.
External causes of congestion in the lungs:
- Gas poisoning.
- Injuries to internal organs.
- Pathology of the kidneys.
- Long stay in the highlands.
- Sedentary rhythm of life.
We must not forget that a failure in the pulmonary circulation affects the functioning of most internal organs, since they cease to receive oxygenated blood. Congestion in the lungs of the elderly is most common. This is because their activity is reduced due to age, and concomitant diseases exacerbate the picture.
Main symptoms
A vigilant attitude to one's own health helps a person to detect dangerous deviations from the norm in time. Do not neglect the symptoms and ignore medical care, this can lead to serious complications.
Symptoms of congestion in the lungs:
- Sensation as if something was squeezing the chest.
- The nasolabial region becomes cyanotic.
- Inability to fully take a breath.
- A sound that resembles a crunch at the end of a breath.
If you do not go to a doctor for a long time, do not take measures to restore health, then shortness of breath will intensify, it will become difficult for a person to even talk.
Congestion in the lungs of bedridden patients occurs quite often, so you should carefully monitor the quality of oxygen circulation in their blood. At the first stage, the disease is accompanied by coughing and shortness of breath, at later stages a person begins to cough up blood and foam.
Correct diagnosis
If you suspect a lung pathology, it is important to consult a doctor in time for help. A competent specialist will diagnose and select the right treatment.
Measures to diagnose congestion in the lungs are as follows:
- Conducting radiographs.
- Analysis of the composition of sputum.
- Assessment of the state of the cardiovascular system.
- Analysis of urine.
The congestion of the lungs on the x-ray is clearly visible, the expansion of the pulmonary artery will not escape the attention of the doctor, and the specialist will also see an increase in capillary pressure above 20 mmHg. Art.
Having gathered together the results of all examinations, the doctor will determine the stage of the pathology and the ways to eliminate it, which will help restore human health.
Treatment methods
Treatment of congestion in the lungs comes down to two options:
- Surgical intervention.
- Drug therapy.
You have to resort to surgery in cases where the disease is caused by aneurysm or heart disease. The main goal of any treatment is to eliminate the root cause of the disease, which allows you to eliminate its consequences, especially with timely treatment to the doctor.
When choosing medicines, you can’t act on your own, the right set of tools should be selected by the doctor. Drug therapy includes a whole range of tools, the ratio of which is determined by a specialist on the basis of diagnostic results.
If pulmonary edema has acquired life-threatening dimensions, then the patient is immediately hospitalized. In a hospital, fluid is pumped out of the lungs and the patient is allowed to breathe pure oxygen.
Elderly people or bedridden patients, who are especially prone to the development of congestion in the lungs, it is recommended to conduct physiotherapy. This will allow you to artificially maintain good blood circulation in the lungs.
ethnoscience
In some cases, the use of alternative medicine is allowed. However, you should not rely only on herbs and decoctions. The use of traditional medicine is permissible only in combination with the main treatment, under the watchful supervision of the attending physician.
The main folk methods:
- Herbal treatment.
- Gymnastics.
- Massage.
Pulmonary gymnastics and massage are useful for bedridden patients and people with a sedentary lifestyle. It is recommended to change the position of the body more often, if getting out of bed is forbidden, you should regularly take a sitting position (in the absence of contraindications).
Decoctions and infusions of herbs are used only after consulting a doctor. They should have an anti-inflammatory effect, as well as facilitate the process of expectoration. Among the popular ingredients are: linden, thyme, chamomile, viburnum, calendula, sage and others. It is important to ensure that there is no allergy to medicinal herbs and only then consider the possibility of their use in treatment.
Disease prevention
Stagnation and edema are the body's signals about the development of dangerous pathologies. Doctors recommend not to let disturbing symptoms drift, to undergo timely examinations and carefully follow the recommendations of specialists. Such a preventive measure is considered fundamental for most diseases of the human body.
Among other preventive measures, there are:
- Regular physical activity. Avoid prolonged sitting or lying down, take walks, knead neck muscles. Such measures can improve blood circulation in the body and reduce the risk of stagnation.
- As much as possible to treat yourself, avoid injuries and dangerous situations, reduce the level of stress in everyday life. Sudden changes in temperature also adversely affect the work of the lungs and heart.
- Develop a habit of eating right. Overweight leads to the formation of additional edema, increases the load on the heart. Attention to your own health will help keep him in good shape.
- Rejection of bad habits. Smoking and drinking lead to the destruction and malfunctioning of the body systems.
Doctors recommend taking care of their own health at an early age, this will reduce the risk of developing dangerous pathologies in the future.
Consequences of the disease
Timely treatment of congestion in the lungs leads the patient to complete recovery, restoration of stable blood circulation and respiration. If a person for a long time ignores the symptoms, refuses medical care, then over time he will lose the ability to breathe on his own.
In the most advanced cases, a fatal outcome is possible. Edema is so flooded with the lungs that respiratory function becomes impossible.
Timely treatment is the key to recovery and a return to a full quality life.